DO YOU NEED SOME FENCING?

I know from experience that not all fences serve the same purpose. If you are looking at installing a fence to create a boundary around your property, for example, then I’d certainly recommend a different sort of fence to keep pets and other animals from escaping. There again, residential fences are very different from what you might need for a paddock or in an agricultural setting. Let’s look at the sorts of fencing that you can choose between and which ones suit which applications the best.

· Garden Fences: Most garden fences are made from wood because this material provides a natural look for plants to grow alongside. In my experience, most homeowners want a wooden fence for their garden simply because this will fit in with what the neighbours have! Of course, garden fences don’t need to be made from this sort of material but you need not be put off wooden fences because you will have to be weatherproofing it every year. These days, kiln dried fence posts and panels will last for years before they need to be protected again. I would usually recommend a trellis section at the top of a garden fence. This provides privacy and prevents unwarranted access, but allows more light into your garden which, in turn, will help your planting to thrive.

· Secure Fences: Wire mesh fences are among the most commonly installed to provide security. If your project needs to prevent access to a yard or a business premises, then wire mesh panels do a very good job. They are hard to cut through and extremely difficult to climb over. Another option I’d consider for a project that has security as its main concern would be steel palisade. A fence made of steel palisade is incredibly strong and almost tamper proof. It has spikes at the top which say, “Keep out”, and provides an additional amount of reassurance that break-ins won’t be attempted. This is the metal fence for you if you take securing your property seriously!

· Animal Fences: Anyone who wants to keep livestock or pets in a given area has a range of options when it comes to fences. The choice of wood or metal fence will often come down to what sort of animals you keep. Dogs and cats can be prevented from exiting your garden, for example, with a mesh fence. For horses and other large livestock, I’d recommend timber fences. Ranch fence panels are a good idea if you want something that looks good but which also helps to keep creatures from escaping. When I’ve been asked about fences that can keep smaller pets under control, I have recommended close board fences in the past and it has done a good job with pets like gerbils and rabbits.

Privacy Fences: Whether it is for a business premises or a residential job, I am always being asked about how fences can keep out prying eyes. For people who consider their privacy to be the number one factor, then a higher fence is the first thing to choose because, obviously, it is harder to peer over. Both wooden and metallic fence panels can be used to provide privacy but they must overlap one another so that you can’t spy through any gaps. Close board fences are ideal if you want to create a truly private area in your property. So-called continental fence panels are also useful because they augment the height of a normal panel by integrating a trellis at the top.

Whatever your project, I’m here to offer advice, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.